La Cave de l'Abbé Rous

La Cave de l'Abbé Rous is an association of five co-operatives, formed in 1950, to promote the wines of the area. In 1964 they built a new cave above the town containing over 1000 different vats, foudres and barrels including one purported to be the largest wooden vat in the world. They have 750 members, looking after about 700 ha of vineyards in over 750 different parcels so most of them are small producers who have another job rather than full-time vignerons. Between them they produce nearly 75% of the annual Banyuls production and 50% of Collioure. Grape varieties are mainly Grenache Noir for the reds with Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Marsanne for the whites. Banyuls and Banyuls Grand Cru are solely for the vin doux naturel, while Collioure is for white, red and ros, with the whites being classified only in 2003. Vineyards are generally on steep slopes above and around the villages of Banyulssur- Mer and Collioure where ancient vines and terraces are common, resulting in tiny yields and back-breaking work in the winter replacing soil which has been washed down the slopes. The terraces and drainage channels were begun in the 13th century using techniques introduced by the Knights Templar. The name Abbé Rous comes from a priest, Francis Rous, who raised money for his church by starting a wine business in 1870. It proved so successful that, following complaints from landowners and merchants, he was banned from trading in wine. The name celebrates his spirit.